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Saturday, 19 January 2013

Blueberry and lemon loaf

I blame the snow for at least 50% of my chocolate consumption over the last few days. It has caused me to take my 'chocolate addict' title to a whole new level. Funny enough, I woke up today in a NON chocolate mood (something which rarely happens). I therefore dashed to the kitchen to whip up something sweet but with ZERO grams of chocolate!

Are you a lover of blueberries?

Do you love indulging in zesty treats?

If so, I suggest you pop to the shop and purchase the following ingredients as this loaf is one for you!

195 grams plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest(outer yellow skin of the lemon)

240 ml fresh blueberries

113 grams unsalted butter - room temperature

150 grams granulated/caster sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

120 ml milk

Lemon Glaze:

2 tablespoons (25 grams)sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

I followed the recipe from Joy Of Baking and it even features a step by step video which makes this loaf SO SIMPLE to make! I will also run through the process to ensure you feel comfortable making this loaf which is bursting with blueberries!

First, mix your butter and sugar until your mixture looks like mash potato! I had the urge to pour gravy all over it and throw some meat in the oven (so glad I didn't).

Now add your vanilla extract and your eggs (one at a time).

You will get a curdled looking mixture - do not threat, apparently it is supposed to look like this!

Now get your bowl of flour and remove one tablespoon and pour it over your blueberries (this will reduce the risk of them falling to the bottom of your loaf). Put the blueberries to one side...

For a second I thought it had started to snow indoors!

Next, add your baking powder and salt to your flour and grate your lemon to get all of that juicy zest...

Mix the lemony zest into the flour to ensure your mixture is ZINGING...

It's now time to go back to the curdled mess...add a third of your zinging flour, then a third of your milk, then another third of your flour and so on...

When all of your milk and flour has been mixed in it's time for those delicious blueberries to get involved!

Gently fold them in and then pour your mixture into your greased loaf tin and allow to bake for 55-60 minutes.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock...

At 57 minutes my loaf was finally ready to come out to play (by play I mean get eaten).

On goes the zesty lemon glaze...

To make the glaze simply mix 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, then pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds - it's that simple!

Now brush it all over your beautiful loaf...

I did say this loaf was bursting with blueberries didn't I?

I can't express enough how happy I am with finding this recipe. It is SO unbelievably moist and SO SO tasty. The citrus lemon flavour compliments the exploding blueberries just perfectly. I recommend serving it warm, straight from the oven, with a cup of tea.

I'm not sure my fruity loaf is even going to see tomorrow. However what I do know is that I'm in desperate need of cutting myself off another slice!

The blueberries are screaming my name...

Have a great Saturday night everyone and when you have the time you MUST make this fruitilicious loaf - you will NOT regret it!